WASHINGTON -- The Chairman of the Catholic Bishops'
Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs said Pope John Paul
II's January 24 meeting with leaders of the world's religions in Assisi
will coincide with the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and
with various ecumenical observances in this country related to Martin
Luther King Jr. Day.

"Indeed, we will have several occasions in the next month when we can
gather with other Christians and also with Jews, Muslims, and members of
other religious communities," Bishop Tod D. Brown wrote in a letter
sent to the Bishops. Noting that each U.S. diocese will determine
activities based on local circumstances, Bishop Brown sent materials to
assist with these activities. They included Resources
for Celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and Martin
Luther King, Jr., and on Official Catholic Approaches to Interreligious
Services of Prayer.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity occurs January 18-25. Martin
Luther King Jr. Day will be observed this year on January 21. Both
events are celebrated ecumenically although services for the national
holiday might, on occasion, involve representatives of other faiths.

Pope John Paul II announced during the recitation of the Angelus last November 18
that he was inviting representatives of the world's religions to go
with him to Assisi on January 24 to pray for peace. In particular, the
Holy Father said he hoped to bring Christians and Muslims together to
proclaim to the world that religion must never be a reason for conflict,
hatred and violence.

According to the official Program for the Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi,
the Pope will board a train in Vatican City with 100 representatives of
other religions and pilgrimage to Assisi. The program will be similar
to other occasions when the Pope has been joined by religious leaders in
promoting peace through prayer. There will be testimonials to peace by
representatives of the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, the
Churches originated by the Reformation, Hinduism, the Traditional
African Religions, Buddhism, Judaism, and the Islamic World.

Bishop Brown wrote: "May January be a month of intense prayer when we
strengthen our commitment to Christian unity, when we witness that
greater Christian unity serves the proclamation of the gospel, and when
we strengthen the bonds of friendship and promote peace."

NOTE: Additional information on the Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi is available on the Vatican Web site, WASHINGTON (January 15, 2002) -- The Chairman of the Catholic Bishops'
Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs said Pope John Paul
II's January 24 meeting with leaders of the world's religions in Assisi
will coincide with the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and
with various ecumenical observances in this country related to Martin
Luther King Jr. Day.

"Indeed, we will have several occasions in the next month when we can
gather with other Christians and also with Jews, Muslims, and members of
other religious communities," Bishop Tod D. Brown wrote in a letter
sent to the Bishops. Noting that each U.S. diocese will determine
activities based on local circumstances, Bishop Brown sent materials to
assist with these activities. They included Resources
for Celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and Martin
Luther King, Jr., and on Official Catholic Approaches to Interreligious
Services of Prayer.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity occurs January 18-25. Martin
Luther King Jr. Day will be observed this year on January 21. Both
events are celebrated ecumenically although services for the national
holiday might, on occasion, involve representatives of other faiths.

Pope John Paul II announced during the recitation of the Angelus last November 18
that he was inviting representatives of the world's religions to go
with him to Assisi on January 24 to pray for peace. In particular, the
Holy Father said he hoped to bring Christians and Muslims together to
proclaim to the world that religion must never be a reason for conflict,
hatred and violence.

According to the official Program for the Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi,
the Pope will board a train in Vatican City with 100 representatives of
other religions and pilgrimage to Assisi. The program will be similar
to other occasions when the Pope has been joined by religious leaders in
promoting peace through prayer. There will be testimonials to peace by
representatives of the Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion, the
Churches originated by the Reformation, Hinduism, the Traditional
African Religions, Buddhism, Judaism, and the Islamic World.

Bishop Brown wrote: "May January be a month of intense prayer when we
strengthen our commitment to Christian unity, when we witness that
greater Christian unity serves the proclamation of the gospel, and when
we strengthen the bonds of friendship and promote peace."

NOTE: Additional information on the Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi is available on the Vatican Web site, WWW.VATICAN.VA..

By accepting this message, you will be leaving the website of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This link is provided
solely for the user's convenience. By providing this link, the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops assumes no responsibility for,
nor does it necessarily endorse, the website, its content, or
sponsoring organizations.